FUNDING OF LIBRARIES ELIMINATED IN PROPOSED STATE BUDGET
Inside this issue: FOML Notes 2
Events at the Modesto Library 3
FOML Book Sale 4
The Little Shop Needs You 4
Michael Mayreis Profile 5
What Are You Reading? 6
Quick Starts 6
Membership Form 7
Modesto Library
1500 I Street Modesto CA 95354
558-7800 Monday - Thursday
10 a.m.—9 p.m.
Friday Closed
Saturday 10 a.m.—5 p.m.
Sunday Closed
Gov. Jerry Brown’s 2011-2012 pro-posed budget eliminates all $30.4 mil-lion dollars in state funds for the Pub-lic Library Foundation, Transaction Based Reimbursement, and the Cali-fornia Library Literacy and English Acquisition Service. This will end state funding for all California public libraries. Many public libraries such as ours receive funding from other sources as well. (The Stanislaus County Library’s main source of funding comes from the 1/8 cent sales tax in the county.)
So how does the governor’s budget proposal affect the Stanislaus County Library? This year, about 2% of the library budget ($142,582) comes from state funding. Theoretically, that funding will no longer be available from the state if Brown’s budget passes. The lack of state funding is expected to have a tremendous impact on the library’s literacy program, which is especially valuable in this community where one-quarter of the population of Stanislaus County is functionally illiterate.
What can you do? The California Li-brary Association recommends that we contact our Assembly members and senators to express concern over the extreme cuts to the Public Library Foundation, Transaction Based Reim-bursement, and Literacy programs, and to urge them to reject these cuts when the issue comes before them in the coming weeks. To find your state representatives, go to California Li-brary Association’s Legislative Ac-tion Center (http://ca.ala.capwiz.com/ala/ca/home/).
Scroll down to My Elected Officials to look up contact information for your Assembly member and senator.
The state budget issue also reminds us why Friends group and library advo-cacy efforts in general are so critical: We can make things happen for our library system by demonstrating that we (voters) still support the mission of the library and we will take action to keep the system viable in our commu-nity. If you have not yet renewed your Friends membership, take a moment to do so now: the membership year re-news every January – you can find a membership form on the back of this newsletter, or you can renew via our PayPal link on our website: modestoli-braryfriends.org.
Resources:
Gov. Brown’s Proposed 2011-2012 C a l i f o r n i a B u d g e t : h t t p : / /www.ebudget.ca.gov/
Public Library Fund (PLF): http://www.library.ca.gov/services/libraries/plf.html
California Library Literacy and Eng-lish Acquisition Services Program: h t tp : / / law. just ia .com/cal i fornia/codes/2009/edc/18880-18884.html
Transaction-Based Reimbursement: http://www.library.ca.gov/services/libraries/libserh4.html
Stella Beratlis President FOML
Friends of the Modesto Library Newsletter Winter 2011
Friends Bulletin
Friends Bulletin
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This newsletter is published quarterly by the Friends of the Modesto Library. Copies may be requested by emailing [email protected]. The Friends of the Modesto Library is a nonprofit organization that promotes goodwill and support by the community for the Modesto Library, stimulates public awareness of Modesto Library needs, and seeks out sources of cultural and educational programs for the Modesto Library.
Mail: FOML P.O. Box 4565 Modesto CA 95352 [email protected] Online: http://www.ModestoLibraryFriends.org Board of Directors 2010-2011 Officers President: Stella Beratlis Vice-Pres: Joan Patterson Secretary: Anne Britton Treasurer: Jonaca Driscoll Directors: Membership: Ellen Dambrosio Book Sale: Anne Britton Activities: Barbara Quinn Publicity: vacant Hospitality: vacant Newsletter: Clare Noonan, Anne Britton and Gene Malone Special thanks to Dittos of Modesto (www.dittosprint.com) The Friends of the Modesto Library is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the state of California. All contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law. ID#: 77-0038333
FOML Notes General Membership Meeting
The general membership meeting of the Friends of the Modesto Library will be held March 2, 6:30 p.m., Stanislaus County Library, downstairs auditorium, 1500 I St., Modesto. The meeting will feature something fun, perhaps a visit with an author or a poetry reading.
FOML Membership Matters
As membership chairperson, I am happy to report that 37 of last year’s 98 memberships have already been renewed for 2011. We also have three people returning to the organization after a short absence and 11 new paid memberships this year. Not bad for the third week of the new year.
My hope is that the remaining 58 memberships from last year will be re-newed shortly and that members will encourage friends and family who are not members to join Friends of the Modesto Library in 2011.
Think of all the people you know who use the library. Why are they not members of FOML? Maybe they don’t know about us—tell them. Maybe they think that joining would obligate them to do some volunteering—it doesn’t. Sometimes we can use the help of our members but it is never a requirement.
Please help me reach my personal goal of exceeding 100 members this year. We were only short two memberships last year; I know we can do it in 2011.
If you find a coworker, neighbor, friend or family member who wants to join, give him/her the membership form in this newsletter or send him to our Web site for a copy. Just go to http://modestolibraryfriends.org/ and click the “Join Us” link in the left column. Together we can make a differ-ence at the library.
~Ellen Dambrosio
Visit http://modestolibraryfriends.org/ and donate or renew your member-ship via PayPal ($15 individual; $25 family). Friends of the Modesto Li-brary is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, Federal Tax ID #77-0038333. Contributions are deductible as allowed by law.
Latte Rebellion Book Launch
Feb. 5, 1 p.m. Stanislaus County Library, downstairs auditorium, 1500 I St., Modesto. Book Launch for Young Adult author and Modesto resident Sarah Jamila Stevenson’s Latte Rebellion. Published by Flux
Synopsis: Hoping to raise money for a post‐graduation trip to London, Asha Jamison and her best friend Carey decide to sell T‐shirts promoting the Latte Rebellion, a club that raises awareness of mixed‐race students. But seemingly overnight, their "cause" goes viral and the T‐shirts become a nationwide social movement. As new chapters spring up from coast to coast, Asha realizes that her simple marketing plan has taken on a life of its own—and it's starting to ruin hers. Asha's once‐stellar grades begin to slip, threatening her Ivy League dreams, while her friendship with Carey hangs by a thread. And when the peaceful underground movement spins out of control, Asha's school launches a disciplinary hearing. Facing expulsion, Asha must decide how much she's willing to risk for something she
truly believes in. Sarah Jamila Stevenson of Modesto is a writer, artist, graphic designer and occasional world traveler. She has written articles for Suite101.com, IGN.com, and San Joaquin Woman magazine, and YA short stories for a zine and an anthology.
h t t p : / / www . f l u x n o w . c o m / p r o d u c t . p h p ?ean=9780738722788
Feb. 12, 1 p.m., Stanislaus County Library, downstairs auditorium, 1500 I St., Modesto. Song of the San Joaquin Reading “Song of the San Joaquin,” Winter Issue, Vol. VIII, #1 will feature poets reading their own work. Presented by Poets of the San Joaquin, the Stanislaus County Library and Friends of the Modesto Library.
Events at Modesto Library
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The reading is free and appropriate for all ages. Light refreshments will be provided. An “open mike” will follow the formal presentation. For more information, c o n t a c t C l e o G r i f f i t h a t 5 4 3 ‐ 1 7 7 6 or [email protected], or Stella Beratlis at 613‐9283 or [email protected].
Feb. 12, 10 a.m.‐4 p.m. Stanislaus County Library, The Little Shop, 1500 I St., Modesto. There’s going to be a Valentine’s Day sale in The Little Shop, near the Literacy Center in the Modesto library. We’ve invited local artists to participate and, of course, there will be the oh‐so‐handy supplies that the shop regularly sells. Feb. 16, 7 p.m. Stanislaus County Library, downstairs auditorium, 1500 I St., Modesto. Modesto Library Book Discussion Group: "Gardens of Water” by Alan Drew. The New York Times says of the book: “ 'Gardens of Water' records the seismic shocks that reverberate through the lives of two families in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck western Turkey in 1999." Themes include loss and betrayal as well as the cultural conflicts between ethnic groups. Feb. 18, 8 p.m. The State Theatre, 1307 J St., Modesto. Laugh away your troubles with comedian Paula Poundstone. She started in standup comedy in Boston more than 20 years ago, but wait, wait, that’s not all. Poundstone’s wry take on life is featured weekly on the NPR quiz show “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me,” and she’s also an author. As the national spokesperson for the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF), Poundstone has agreed to partner with the local Friends organization of every town or city in which she performs for the next couple of years. The Friends of the Modesto Library will staff a table at the State Theatre on Feb. 18 to sell her book, "There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say." Poundstone will sign the books after her performance, donating all profits to the Friends of the Modesto Library.
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Friends Bulletin FRIENDS OF THE MODESTO LIBRARY BOOK SALE Mark May 7 on your calendar because that’s the day of the book sale you won’t want to miss. The Friends of the Modesto Library will host its annual book sale on the west portico of the Stanislaus County Library, 1500 I St., Modesto.
Want a biography, the latest novel, kids book or tome on military history? We’ve got them all. And with prices at $1 for hardbound and 50 cents for paperback, you can fill up your library and benefit ours! All proceeds go to the Friends of the Modesto Library, who pay for such things at the downtown library as storytime and special events.
Book sale hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Make a morning of it — a stop at farmers market and then a meander through table after table of books.
To donate books (no textbooks), contact Clare Noonan at 522-5054 or [email protected].
A big thanks and shoutout to Don’s Mobile Glass and manager Danny Savage for storing the books until the sale.
THE LITTLE SHOP NEEDS YOU.
The Little Shop, located in the Modesto Library, offers office supplies, mints, magnifying reading glasses, books written and/or illustrated by local authors and artists, book bags, bookmarks, gift items, and more. We even offer used books priced at 50 cents for paperbacks and $1.00 for hardcover editions.
We had a great December, with more than $600 in sales.
To greet the new year, we’re testing different store hours. In January, the shop will be open Saturdays only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In February, it will be open Saturdays only from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The shop is operated by the Friends of the Modesto Library. We're run exclusively by volunteers.
One way to help would be to volunteer as a sales associate. Contact us at [email protected].
The store’s phone number is 573-3142.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS…
…to all the coins that are tossed into the fountain at Village Faire Mall? They are given to the Friends of the Modesto Library. Toss away, people!
The Little Shop
Where:
In the Modesto Library near the tutoring office.
When:
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thurs-day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Phone:
573-3142
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A Conversation with Michael Mayreis You can be excused if you feel a sense of déjà vu as you glance at the staff behind the reference desk at the Modesto library. Hmmm, you think to yourself, I know I’ve seen that guy before.
And you have. At the Ceres library, the Salida library, Scenic Nursery and last, but certainly not least, The Bookstore. That familiar face belongs to Michael Mayreis, who has worked in the Stanislaus County library system for six years, the past seven months at the Modesto library.
Before that, Mayreis put his love of gardening to work at Scenic Nursery for five years.
And for the 20 years before that, he was busy at The Bookstore, which he co‐owned. It started as “a little hole in the wall on Coffee Road” in 1979, he recalled and ended its run in 1999 in a larger and more expensive site in McHenry Village.
Mayreis admits that he really didn’t think about the library much before he turned to it for employment. He didn’t have to, he points out, with thousands of books at his disposal in his store.
But working at the library has shown him how important it is to a community, he says. Of course, there are the uses for which a library is well known — checking out books, storytime for the little ones, getting questions answered by the folks who man the reference desk.
A library is that and so much more, Mayreis says: “It’s a resource particularly suited to people who don’t have access” to computers or who need a place to come and learn about community social services. “Important stuff,” he adds.
Of his reading habits, Mayreis says he likes short stories and fiction, including science fiction, mysteries and more high‐brow stuff. “Literary novels appeal to me,” Mayreis says, most anything with a “good voice.”
And just so you know, he doesn’t pull rank to get his hands on the most popular new books. Mayreis keeps putting his name on the bottom of the waiting list to read former punk rocker Patti Smith’s memoir, “Just Kids.”
“I can wait,” he says with a smile. That’s just the kind of patience you’d expect in a man who works the reference desk, answering questions all day. “You never know,” Mayreis says. “People call about the strangest things.”
Like the definition of “déjà vu”?
Friends Bulletin
“A Day at the Floating Market” by Jerry Brid-gens, says Maribel Ceja, 8, a third-grader at Orville Wright Ele-mentary in Modesto. Maribel is seen with her sister, Angelica Rodriguez, 3.
“Saving Fish from Drowning” by Amy Tan, says Takiyah Smith, a stay-at-home mom.
“Father Joe” by Tony Hendra, says Frank McHugh, a former li-brary board member.
“The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, says Sinay Peou, a student at Modesto Junior Col-lege.
WHAT ARE YOU READING?
QUICK STARTS
Following are the first sentences from several new books in the Modesto library:
“703: How I Lost More Than a Quarter Ton and Gained a Life” by Nancy Makin — “When I think of happy, carefree times, my mind invariably returns to early childhood; perhaps that’s why I’m still so drawn to the ocean, fine mist, pine trees and snow-covered mountain peaks.”
“The New Good Life: Living Better than Ever in an Age of Less” by John Robbins — “Recently, Lexus spent many millions of dollars on an ad campaign that wasn’t exactly subtle.”
“The Time of my Life” by Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi — “Halloween night, 1970. It was a balmy Saturday evening in Houston when I ran onto the field with my Waltrip High School football team-mates, ready for a big game with our cross-town rivals, the Yates Lions.”
“Contested Will; Who Wrote Shakespeare?” by James Shapiro — “For a long time after Shake-speare’s death in 1616, anyone curious about his life had to depend on unreliable and often contradic-tory anecdotes, most of them supplied by people who had never met him.”
“7 Dirty Words: The Life and Crimes of George Carlin” by James Sullivan — “The kid had a mouth on him, and he knew it.”
“Keep the Change: A Clueless Tipper’s Quest to Become the Guru of the Gratuity” by Steve Dub-lanica — “Before I get to the strippers, let’s try to answer a basic question: Just how much of the American economy is tied up with tipping, and how did it get that way?”
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Friends Bulletin
Friends of the Modesto Library PO Box 4565 Modesto CA 95352 ModestoLibraryFriends.org
Latte Rebellion Book Launch 1 p.m., February 5th
Modesto Library Auditorium
Song of the San Joaquin Poetry Readings 1 p.m., February 12th
Modesto Library Auditorium
Book Discussion—Gardens of Water by Alan Drew 7 p.m., February 16th
Modesto Library Auditorium
Paula Poundstone 8 p.m., February 18th
Mark your Calendar!
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go. ~ Dr. Seuss